Winnerofthe2013NewberyMedalanda#1NewYorkTimesbestseller,thisstirringandunforgettablenovelfromrenownedauthorKatherineApplegatecelebratesthetransformativepowerofunexpectedfriendship.InspiredbythetruestoryofacaptivegorillaknownasIvan,thisillustratednovelistoldfromthepointofviewofIvanhimself.
Havingspenttwenty-sevenyearsbehindtheglasswallsofhisenclosureinashoppingmall,Ivanhasgrownaccustomedtohumanswatchinghim.Hehardlyeverthinksabouthislifeinthejungle.Instead,Ivanoccupieshimselfwithtelevision,hisfriendsStellaandBob,andpainting.ButwhenhemeetsRuby,ababyelephanttakenfromthewild,heisforcedtoseetheirhome,andhisart,throughneweyes.
InthetraditionoftimelessstorieslikeCharlotte'sWebandStuartLittle,KatherineApplegateblendshumorandpoignancytocreateanunforgettablestoryoffriendship,art,andhope.Thispaperbackeditionincludesanauthor'snotehighlightingthedifferencesbetweenthefictionalstoryandtrueevents,aversionoftheauthor'sNewberyMedalacceptancespeech,Ivan's"signature,"discussionquestions,andmore.
TheOneandOnlyIvanisastrongCommonCoretitlethatfeaturestheseimportantstrandsandstandards:first-personnarrative;author'suseofliterarydevices:personification,imagery;storyelements:plotandcharacterdevelopment,perspective.